Huawei's 8-inch MediaPad M3 Lite provides a sharp, colorful display and better-than-average resolution at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, battery life lags behind the competition, though it is still enough to squeak through a standard workday.

The MateBook E delivers a spiffy-looking 12-inch tablet and a darn good keyboard cover at an attractive price for a premium 2-in-1. But so-so performance and a lack of ports keep it from realizing its full potential.

One of the cheapest name tablets, the $49.99 Fire 7 suffices for unfussy video-watching and casual game play, but it's less enticing for long spells of reading. (Speed and screen quality get sacrificed for the savings.)

Amazon's 2017 Fire HD 8 remains one of today’s best tablet deals. At $10 cheaper than the 2016 edition and with improved battery life, this tablet delivers tremendous value for its price, despite middling hardware specs and a chunky chassis.

A "Kaby Lake" update to Lenovo's flagship business tablet (using a renamed Core M CPU), the X1 Tablet's strengths lie in MIL-SPEC design and best-in-class detachable keyboard. A bit more battery life would make it a winner.

Samsung's latest premium Windows 2-in-1 performs well, has great battery life, and sports one of the best screens of any mobile device, period. Only dear pricing and a few hardware quibbles keep it from 2-in-1 super-stardom.

The 2017 iPad's new, aggressive pricing is laser-guided to take down premium-priced Android equivalents. That, plus its impressive battery life and infinite well-curated apps, make it today's best-value tablet.

Samsung's iPad Pro competitor is an impressive tablet with a few quirks, excellent battery life, and so-so speakers. But the price needs to fall, especially as Android is better suited to media consumption than productivity.

This refreshed version of the Iconia One 10 fills a need for a 10-inch-class tablet at a low price. It compromises on display and performance, but the price makes it a good choice for casual entertainment or kids.

The Windows version of Lenovo's radical, pen-friendly convertible tablet will impress onlookers and frustrate typists just like its Android sibling, but we think the latter is narrowly the better deal.

It's certainly no computing powerhouse. But Asus' compact detachable brings premium design, a few surprisingly high-end features, and epic battery life to a price point that's a fraction of what you'd pay for a Surface Pro 4.

The Aura One stands apart with a big display, waterproofing, and a nighttime-friendly display mode. Despite some quirks, it’s a fine choice for shoppers not locked into Amazon's or B&N's e-reader ecosystem.

With excellent battery life and a better-than-expected screen, the $299 Miix 310 is a solid extreme-budget 2-in-1 that rivals, but doesn't quite overtake, Atom-based competitors like Asus' Transformer Book T100 models.

With its sublime design, bright screen, and innovative battery cover, the Oasis is the best e-book reader we’ve used to date, but the price is awfully high for incremental improvements—and Special Offers still lurk.

Lenovo's Surface-like 2-in-1 is more affordable than the competition, with one of the best keyboards in its class and two full-size USB ports. But a suboptimal headphone-jack placement and so-so performance keep this gold slate from shining.

Samsung's first Galaxy-branded Windows device sports an impressive Super AMOLED screen and excellent battery life. But if you value physical ports and a great typing experience, better 2-in-1 options are available.

Nvidia's revamped, gaming-focused Shield Tablet K1 still rocks good performance and a plethora of features that will appeal to mobile gamers. But as a general-purpose tablet, better options are now available at $199.

The screen's better. So's the keyboard, and the pen. With the Pro 4, Microsoft's flagship tablet is now an unqualified win for those seeking both a powerful Win 10 slate and a serviceable laptop. (Just note: The keyboard still costs extra, and it's essential.)

HP’s latest Android-based business slate sports a nice iPad-Mini-like screen and an attractive design. But its ultrasonic pen-based note-taking tech feels over-engineered and more than a little undercooked.

The Glo HD competes well with Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite and the top-of-the-line Voyage, in terms of price and specs. It’s your best alterna-reader if you’re not committed to the Amazon ecosystem.

A superb high-resolution screen, great speakers, and a thin, attractive chassis—topped off by an unusual, easy-to-use keyboard dock—make this Venue one of the best convertible Android tablets out there. (But it's expensive.)

The Nexus 9 provides a good mix of light weight and screen size, and it has great graphics performance. But its battery life disappoints, and the tablet occupies a tough middle ground hemmed in by iPads and other, more premium Android tabs.

Priced to undercut Microsoft's Surface 3, Dell's Venue 10 Pro 5000 Series is a capable tablet/2-in-1 for students and a serviceable secondary PC for mobile workers. However, its use of older technologies makes it feel like a product in need of a refresh.

Microsoft's Surface 3 finally ditches Windows RT, while making other welcome refinements. At $499, it's a fine high-end tablet. But add $130 for the Type Cover and $100 for a reasonable amount of RAM and storage, and the slate becomes a very expensive Atom-powered convertible.

The 8-inch, Windows-based Yoga Tablet 2 not only has a sharper screen and faster processor, it has an AnyPen display that lets you use a pencil or metal object as a stylus. Add the Yoga's innovative kickstand spine, and you've got a winner.

Asus' impressively thin 2-in-1 looks and feels great and starts at just $699 (with an upscale model at $899). But battery life is short for a Core M device, and the 12.5-inch screen makes a slightly unwieldy tablet.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (13-inch Windows) pairs a roomy, high-res Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard at a nice price. But we had trouble getting the two pieces to sustain a connection, and at this display size, the "laplet" form factor flops.

Looking for a Windows tablet under $200? You might find this attractive Asus slate a pleasant surprise, although we still think the combination of Win 8.1 and an 8-inch display makes some screen elements too small for comfort.

Dell’s new-for-2015 Android tablet is a showcase for Intel's scorching-new RealSense 3D camera tech. Attractive design, expandable storage, and one of the best tablet screens to date set it apart, even if it has a few quirks.

The Yoga Tablet 2 makes incremental improvements on the original, not revolutionary ones. But with a sharper screen, a faster processor, and an innovative kickstand—not to mention one of the swankiest bodies in the business—the sequel succeeds.

Designed for seniors new to tech, AARP’s first tablet is a competent collaboration with Intel. Its hand-holding features—among them, a simplified interface, instructional videos, and unlimited tech support—make up for some shortfalls in display quality and battery life.

If you’re comfortable with a 6-inch display, the Fire HD 6 delivers a high-quality tablet at a sweet price, especially for Amazon Prime members. But at a size closer to phablet than tablet, the screen’s small for a non-smartphone.

One of the nicest compact tablets you can buy, the iPad Mini 3 bears all the quality hallmarks of the iPad line, and it won’t disappoint iOS-faithful buyers with the cash to spare. But the now-cheaper previous-gen Mini 2 model is a better value for most folks.

This mini-tablet packs kid-friendly add-ons: a chunky bumper, no-questions-asked replacement, and access to lots of child-ready content. It’s a decent deal for families, provided the display is big enough and you’re an Amazon regular.

The K-mini is a passable 7.9-inch Android tablet that’s a dead ringer for the Apple iPad Mini—and costs less than half what Apple’s tab does. Screen quality and battery life are its biggest trade-offs.

The Fire HD 7 is a handy mobile window into the Amazon content you own, with a good display, fine audio, and a peppy feel for the money. It's built for Prime-loving Amazonians who put movies, music, and reading above gaming, video-shooting, and selfies.

Rabid PC gamers who are also Nvidia loyalists will want to check out this one-of-a-kind tablet. With killer performance, swell speakers, and a host of streaming-to-and-fro options, this $299 8-inch Android complements an Nvidia-based gaming PC—and it's a knockout tablet for gaming by itself, too.

The iPad Air 2 takes the title (from Apple’s original Air) of Best Tablet You Can Buy. The updates aren't enough to force an upgrade from a 2013 Air, but it'll feel like a tablet from another planet if you're still using an original iPad or iPad 2, or an early Android.

The 11.6-inch sibling of Asus' popular 10.1-inch Transformer Book T100 offers a tempting 2-in-1 experience including a full keyboard dock with extra ports, a user-upgradable storage bay, and eight-hour battery life for $499.

Pricier than Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, the H2O packs a larger, sharper display—and it's waterproof. Serious e-readers will like it for reading in the bath or at the beach, but know that it’s a premium-price device, with full-color Android tablets right on its heels.

Barnes & Noble's first co-branded tablet with Samsung falls short. It's a basic Android with some appealing Nook integration, but it doesn't go far enough, and the hardware stumbles for the price versus other 7- and 8-inch slates.

Today’s best compact Android tab, this 8.4-incher packs the most innovation we've seen in several tablet generations. The color-rich display literally stands out from the crowd, and the slim design and low weight make the Tab S easy to tote.

A step down from its higher-end Tab S and Pro siblings (with a lower-res screen and less pep), the Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 is still a well-made, full-size slate, enhanced by Samsung's raft of Android extras.

With a nice screen and a slew of accessories, Lenovo's ThinkPad 10 is a versatile Windows tablet with great battery life. But its design feels uneven, and once you start adding accessories like a keyboard and dock, it quickly becomes pricey for its Atom-class performance.

Among the thinnest, lightest full-size Android slates to date, the Z2 is fast, packs a great display, and is both attractive and durable. It's premium in every sense, competitive with Samsung's and Apple's best.

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 sports a larger, higher-res screen and a more versatile keyboard and kickstand, as well as better battery life. It's undoubtedly the best Surface yet, but it still isn't an ideal laptop replacement for everyone.

Acer replaces the disappointing Iconia W3 with an 8-inch Windows slate with solid performance, a gorgeous if not full HD screen, and long battery life. It's a big improvement, though we could wish for better cameras and a standard keyboard.

With its 1,920x1,200 touch screen, powerful speakers, and day-long battery life, the Lenovo Miix 2 10 is an excellent Windows 8 tablet, but the bundled keyboard is a disappointment for serious productivity work.

Premium to the core, this Android tablet performs well, has a super screen and speakers, and shines with smart interface skinning. Our only concern is price: It’s overshadowed by one of Samsung’s own Androids.

With a supersize screen, a stylus, and multitasking, the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 is the first Android tab to balance form and function for real productivity use. (But compare the price, fully outfitted, with that of a very able laptop before diving in.)

ValueChain's budget slate performs well enough (and feels solid enough) for the price, but be mindful of its short battery life and lack of Google Play support. Still, it's a decent fit for budget-strapped families and first-time buyers.

With its high-res IPS screen, surprisingly good camera, and 64GB of storage, Lenovo's ThinkPad 8 is perhaps the best 8-inch Windows tablet we've tested. But if you can live with a lower-res screen and less storage, competing devices can be had for half the price.

The first Google Play Edition tablet, this well-constructed, slim 8.3-inch Android slate feels snappy and looks good, with a clean install of Android KitKat. We'd just like to see it about $50 cheaper.

If you're looking for an attractive, powerful tablet with good battery life, Microsoft's much-improved Surface Pro 2 delivers. Just don't expect this top-tier slate to come cheap—it's priced at over $1,000 when you add in the cost of the keyboard cover.

This 13.3-inch detachable is an excellent choice if you spend much time in tablet mode, but some design decisions such as the omission of an SD card slot and lack of storage and memory upgrades are frustrating.

Like a sized-down iPad Air, the Retina iPad Mini gives Apple an equally strong contender in compact tablets, marrying a terrific display with close-to-perfect aesthetics. Though pricey for the size, it's one of the best small tablets you can buy.

The 8.9-inch Fire HDX is easy to use and packs super hardware: It's light, with a very high-res screen and excellent battery life. Still, the tablet, like earlier Fires, will hold the most appeal for frequent Amazon customers.

The 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX is a family-friendly, entry-level tablet with a nice, high-def screen and plenty of speed for the price. The hardware's great, but how well it will fit you (or your family) depends on how big an Amazon devotee you are.

Well-constructed and attractive, this miniaturized version of Lenovo's Yoga Android tablet features a handy kickstand and decent media-playback abilities. Our main quibble: We'd like to see the price a smidge lower.

This snazzy, well-constructed Android slate employs a handy kickstand for flexible positioning and easier operation. It's a solid-enough buy, but its performance and screen resolution are a bit behind the pack.

B&N shows its competitive mettle with its 2013 E Ink-based Nook. Smaller and lighter than its predecessor—and its competition—it’s perfect for long reading sessions, even if it won't convert the Kindle faithful.

With its 1-pound weight and slimmed-down design, the iPad Air marks the biggest leap forward for Apple's trend-making slate since the Retina display. It's rightly the standard by which all other tablets will, and should, be judged.

The Surface 2 is one of the nicest slices of tablet hardware available, but it still runs Windows RT, which means app selection is limited. Plus, its pricey keyboard covers make the total cost hard to swallow.

The people who brought you the netbook bring you its 2013 equivalent—a $399 mini laptop/detachable tablet with a 10.1-inch touch screen and 11-hour battery life. With Windows 8.1 and Microsoft Office preinstalled, it shoots to the top of our list of tablet values.

The Aura costs $30 to $50 more than its main competitors. In terms of design, software, and build, it justifies the pricing, but it's squeezed by cheaper E Ink readers on one side and color tablets on the other.

This strong-performing Windows tablet comes with a gorgeous, high-resolution screen, a well-implemented stylus, and a comfortable keyboard. It’s a little short on style for the price, but we can live with that, given its other strengths.

One of the first Tegra 4-based slates, the Excite Pro is a strong performer, with a great-looking, high-res screen and super speakers. Our main quibbles: It feels too plasticky and runs too hot for a premium-priced tablet.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 lacks some of the abilities of the company's other 8-inch tablet, the Galaxy Note 8.0 (no multitasking screens, no stylus), but it comes in at a lower price with a narrower design and better battery life.

An impressive first-gen gaming handheld, the Shield is more potential than payoff for now, held back by too few first-tier Android games and PC-game streaming that works only with late-model hardware. Even so, PC gamers with a recent GeForce card should monitor this unique gadget.

Blazingly fast and packing a stunning HD screen, this 2013 update of the Nexus 7 rewrites the rules for compact Android slates. If you’re looking for the best 7-inch tablet to date, this is it—and the race is not close.

The Tab 3 10.1 makes some strides in bench testing, but we ran into some hurdles in day-to-day use: graphics glitches, awkward buttons, and subpar battery life. It's a decent tablet overall, but watch for a price drop (or firmware updates) before diving in.

As the first 8-inch-class tablet running Windows 8, the Iconia W3 shows the promise of such a compact slate. However, its strong battery life isn't enough to offset this tablet's poor display and extra weight.

The Aspire P3's gorgeous (if only 720p) IPS touch screen sparkles, and the pricing is reasonable, but this convertible tablet's half-baked design makes it unremarkable, if not frustrating to use at times.

As one of the few 11.6-inch, detachable ultrabook/tablets on the market, it's too bad the Helix lacks a 4th Gen Intel CPU and an SD slot. But it's saved by a fantastic keyboard and a touch pad and stylus good for Windows 8.

At $99, this price-aggressive tablet is okay for kids or tablet first-timers, but it delivers merely passable performance and a mediocre 7-inch display. Also, the paltry 4GB of onboard storage gives us serious pause.

This bargain tablet delivers performance and display quality reasonable for its $149 price (plus a few unexpected extras, like NFC), but it forces compromises on onboard storage and battery life. It's good as a first-timer tablet, as or a secondary one for families.

With its large 13.3-inch, 1080p screen and fast Core i7 CPU, the Transformer Book makes for a unique and powerful Windows 8 tablet, but as a laptop, it's heavier and more expensive than its competitors.

The Nook HD's high-resolution display and friendly interface are high points, and the tablet's recent Google certification (which opens it to Android apps and Google's own core apps) makes it a decent mainstream buy for both e-reading and media consumption—especially at its promotional pricing.

HP's latest business tablet is a versatility virtuoso if you opt for the port-expanding and keyboard-adding accessories. But it suffers the same limitations as other Atom-powered slates. And its keyboard dock doesn't feel like it's built for business.

The IdeaTab Lynx is an impressively light convertible tablet with long battery life. But its plastic exterior and keyboard feel a bit cheap. Unless the Lenovo's price drops a bit, HP's aluminum-clad Envy x2 is a better buy.

A 10-inch Android slate, this under-$300 Nvidia Tegra 3 tablet performs well, delivers long battery life, and packs a strong set of expansion and connectivity options. Only a relatively low-res screen marks it as a budget slate.

This smart-looking Android tablet/e-reader performs well, and its custom "Tapestries" UI has much to recommend. Only the lack of a few key features and the need for more aggressive pricing keep it from stardom.

A combined smartphone, tablet, and childhood learning device, the Vinci Tab MV is pokier than recent Android tablets, but its dual-SIM support and access to Vinci's curriculum make it a winner for parents, day-care providers, and schools sold on the good-but-pricey content.

With its light weight, superb battery life, excellent keyboard, and pen input, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is the best productivity tablet we've tested. Just know that its performance is adequate only for typical office, Web, and communications functions.

As a stand-alone slate, the Latitude 10’s swappable battery and connectivity options make it a strong business tablet, but its lack of a suitable snap-on keyboard for travel will be a deal breaker for some would-be buyers.

Microsoft's Surface Pro fixes the Surface RT's limitations with powerful ultrabook internals, premium design, and a stunning IPS screen, not to mention compatibility with Windows 7 and 8 apps. But it's still compromised, both as a tablet and a laptop.

This Clover Trail Atom-powered convertible tablet PC is attractive and well-built, with extraordinary battery life when used with its keyboard base. It's good for business users with light computing (and long endurance) needs, but power users will want a better CPU and more RAM.

HP's Envy x2 convertible walks a fine line between tablet and laptop. It is thin and light, gets up to 12 hours of battery life, has a nice IPS screen, and runs full Windows 8. But demanding users should steer clear, as performance is weak and you're stuck with just 2GB of RAM.

This Windows 8 convertible tablet PC marches to a different drummer. Its hardware and feature set would make it an powerful laptop replacement, but its docking solutions are desktop-centric. If you don’t need all its power on the road, it makes for a good home PC and multimedia consumption tablet.

Microsoft's first effort at making its own tablet is a seriously impressive piece of hardware. But the lack of substantive apps and the added cost of the keyboard cover make it hard to recommend against excellent iOS and Android alternatives.

The Kobo Glo is smaller, lighter, and brighter than the Kindle Paperwhite and its competitors. It's a compelling e-reader for those seeking ePub support and an alternative to Amazon's walled garden of content.

This fast, strong-performing slate brings several firsts to the Android tablet market, including an ultra-high-resolution screen. It’s a keeper, even if we balked at the short battery life and lack of storage expansion.

Families and others looking for a simplified tablet to serve up content from Amazon.com will appreciate the Kindle Fire HD, but for the same $199, the Nexus 7 is a more versatile device for those familiar with Google's Android OS.

The cheapest major-bookstore e-reader, the 2012 basic Kindle is a serviceable model for the budget-strapped, but it lacks a physical keyboard or touch-sensitive display, so typing and searching on it is awkward.

The Kindle Paperwhite, with its built-in lighting, near-white background, and high resolution, is today's best Kindle—and the best monochrome e-reader, period. At $119 and $139, the Wi-Fi models justify stopping short of buying a $199 tablet.

One of the first Windows RT-based tablets, the VivoTab RT is thin, light, and gorgeous, with the new tablet version of Windows running well on its Tegra 3 processor. If you’re looking for a new-gen Windows-based slate for productivity use, this is a solid pick.

The Kindle Paperwhite, with its built-in lighting, near-white background, and high resolution, is today's best Kindle—and perhaps the best monochrome e-reader, period. But we're not convinced the extra $60 to $80 for the 3G version (versus the Wi-Fi only) is worth it for those who have Wi-Fi access.

This solid-feeling, attractive 9-inch slate performs respectably, but it's marred by a mediocre display and subpar cameras. We wouldn't call it a top pick for media consumption, but it's good for Web and social-media use.

This 10.1-inch Android slate, the first we've seen with a military-grade durability rating, performs well, but the battery life and screen quality are lacking. It justifies its over-$500 price only if you genuinely need the extra toughness.

An Editors' Choice winner, this fast, strong-performing slate brings new multitasking features and savvy stylus input to Android tablets, making it one of the best full-size tablets to date. (The stylus takes time to master, though.)

This e-reader makes E Ink readable in the dark. It's our pick for those not wedded to Amazon or who want access to ePub content from libraries and e-book sellers. (Note, though, that good 7-inch color tablets are getting close in price.)

This Tegra 3 CPU-based Android slate performs exceptionally well, and it has long battery life and a great-looking display. It’s our new top compact slate, in either the $249 16GB version we tested or its $199 8GB brother.

This low-cost slate is a classic get-what-you-pay-for proposition. It works as a media-consumption device, but it is not Google-certified and struggles at browsing complex Web pages and loading some apps.

The A700 packs a bright high-def display and Tegra 3 internals for an enticing $449. The display doesn't quite match the one in Asus' parallel Transformer tablet, though, and its performance lagged a bit behind, in both benchmarks and anecdotal testing.

With the best screen we've seen outside an iPad, plus cutting-edge Nvidia internals and solid build quality, the Infinity is the best Android tablet we've tested. You'll definitely appreciate it if you see it with your own eyes.

The Excite 13 sports the largest screen of any tablet yet, and the best battery life of any Android tablet we've tested. Its high price and ultra-wide aspect ratio, however, will limit its appeal to dedicated movie hounds with deep pockets.

Massive storage and lots of connectivity options make this an attractive slate for the price, especially for video playback—if you're willing to overlook a few serious design flaws and a poor-performing video camera.

This sleek, high-end Android slate is well-designed and heavy on features, including support for extra-high-capacity SD cards. It's a smart choice if you're dead-set on Android and willing to pay a small premium for lots of flexibility.

The very latest in tablet operating systems (Android 4.0) and processors (Nvidia's Tegra 3) combine to make the A510 the best-performing slate we've seen to date. It's one of the most attractive tablets available.

This versatile tablet offers exceptional performance, long battery life, and a healthy feature set. It's not just the best value among Android tablets to date, but it's also one of the best Android tablets, period.

This entry-level Android tablet performs well at a great price and feels like a premium tablet. If you don't mind a few missing ports and no rear camera, it's one of the best budget slates you can buy. (We've seen it as low as $279.)

This unique dual-screen Android tablet is a radical rethink of slate design and works best with apps designed for its two LCDs. You’ll want to consider—carefully—how you use a tablet before deciding whether this one is worth the outlay.

A new high-res display is the main draw of the 2012 iPad, strengthening the king of tablets. This is clearly the iPad to get if you're buying your first; current iPad or iPad 2 owners, however, should consider how much they need the improved screen and camera before diving in.

A huge price drop and revised OS make RIM's tablet much more appealing to consumers than the first version. (Business users still need to use their BlackBerry phones in concert with it for some functions.)

This inexpensive tablet has a surprisingly good screen and a wealth of media-storage and -playback options. Its poor camera recording, cheap construction, and tightly packed ports may leave you wanting more, however.

Though last to the touch-input e-reader party, Amazon delivered a winner with the Kindle Touch. It gets our nod for sleek design, as well as its MP3-playback, text-to-speech, and Web-browsing functions. (Not to mention Amazon's awesome content ecosystem.)

This powerful tablet has a beautiful, large 11.6-inch screen and runs Windows 7 respectably well. Consider it if you need the power of Windows in a tablet that can convert into a laptop via accessories, but mind the hefty weight and price.

The cheapest on-ramp to Amazon's vast pool of content, this $79 Kindle is a light, well-made device for the money. To save a few bucks versus the competition, though, you'll have to tolerate this e-reader's awkward onscreen keyboard, lack of touch input, and ads.

The Kindle Fire is a fine media-consumption device for the price, if not quite a full-fledged tablet. It's not as polished as we'd like, but if you know what you're getting and don't expect an iPad competitor, you won't be disappointed.

The PRS-T1, priced more competitively than previous Sony e-readers, is a genuine alternative to the Kindle and Nook families, given its light-but-sturdy build, extensive reading controls, and audio/Web functions.

The Nook Simple Touch is a more-than-worthy competitor to Amazon’s 2011 Kindle Touch. It's a good e-reader for those not wedded to Amazon or who want access to the wide ePub content available from public libraries and e-book sellers.

This low-cost tablet performs well, but it runs an outdated version of Android and doesn't support the Android Market. Considering where features and pricing are going with competing tablets, this one may have a limited shelf life.

Seamless hardware and interface design, plus an unparalleled ecosystem of apps, keep the iPad 2 a step ahead of the emerging tablet pack. You'll want to be aware of some important factors, though, before picking a data carrier.

Dell’s updated Streak 5 has some solid improvements over its debut version, namely a boost from Android 1.6 to 2.2. But despite it being sold as an unlocked device, we found it worked far better with AT&T than with T-Mobile.

A full-screen touch display makes navigating this e-reader easy. It’s a good fit for shoppers who appreciate its build quality and don’t mind its lack of wireless, but let's be clear: You’re paying more for a slimmer feature set.

Sony's touch-screen e-book reader is good with PDFs and simple to navigate, but its screen is hard to read in direct sunlight. At $299, Amazon's Kindle 2 remains a slightly better deal for don't need native PDF support.

Apple’s second-generation iPod Touch adds welcome features like an internal speaker and volume-control buttons, making it even better as a media player. But its lack of other control buttons limits its capabilities as a gaming platform.